Person: Demosthenes from Miletos (Ionia)

Person ID: 629
Name: Demosthenes
Place of Origin: Miletos (Ionia)
Date Range: -396 to 17
List of Festivals:
Olympia in Olympia (Elis)
List of Events:
Olympia in Olympia (Elis) on ( -24 to -24 )
Olympia in Olympia (Elis) on ( -20 to -20 )
Olympia in Olympia (Elis) on ( -16 to -16 )
List of Disciplines:
music: salpisma
List of References:
AP 6.350
List of Prosopographies:
Moretti (1957), nos. 726, 729, 731
Moretti (1970), p. 299
Moretti (1992), nos. 726, 729, 731
Comment: terminus post quem: Trumpet introduced at Olympics (Miller 2006, 84). terminus ante quem: Last Olympics before the death of Demosthenes' encomiast, Krinagoras of Mytilene. Assuming three different victories in different Olympiads, we should conclude Demosthenes' first victory came no later than 9BC. Moretti therefore suggests three subsequent victories in 24, 20 and 16 BC. Robert (1967) suggests the trumpet would have echoed in Olympia to celebrate the triple victory of Demosthenes (which would therefore be a τριαστής), probably on the same day, and that he would be a runner. However, Moretti (1970, 1992) counters that this is not correct because Demosthenes is not the first Olympic triastes as he is preceded at least by Phanas of Pellene, Astylos of Croton, Leonidas of Rhodes, Nikokles of Akriai, Hekatomnos of Miletus. Second, it would be uncommon for an epigram to make no mention of the discipline (if not salpisma). Third, it is not possible to identify the two athletes because the two curricula are different, as Robert himself admits.